The Broken Country uses a violent incident that took place in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2012 as a springboard for examining the long-term cultural and psychological effects of the Vietnam War. To make sense of the shocking and baffling incident―in which a young homeless man born in Vietnam stabbed a number of white men purportedly in retribution for the war―Paisley Rekdal draws on a remarkable range of material and fashions it into a compelling account of the dislocations suffered by the Vietnamese and also by American-born veterans over the past decades.

Luma Mufleh was raised in a wealthy family in Jordan, but left that life behind to come to school in America. After graduating from Smith College, she moved to Georgia to begin a life for herself. She did not have family support and was struggling on her own. One day she made a wrong turn and came across a group of refugee boys playing soccer. She says they were barefoot, playing with an old ball, and having the time of their lives. Mufleh continued to watch the boys play, and on her third visit, joined them.

Refugees in Utah who are taking their first driving exam have always been allowed to use an interpreter for the written portion. Legislation passed during the 2018 legislative session will now allow them to also use an interpreter when renewing their license for the first time.

If you were suddenly forced to leave your home because of violence and political conflict, what would you bring? Where would you go? These are a few of the questions that an interactive exhibit by Doctors Without Borders challenged visitors to answer recently in Salt Lake City. The exhibit’s aim was to help visitors imagine what more than 65 million people are experiencing across the world today.